As a clinical nurse specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Barb Schroeder has an innovative perspective on healing. She believes nursing is about nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of patients. To do this, Barb infuses her environment with beautiful, heart-felt posters of healing, support, and hope. An example of this is a calendar by the elevator with a “call to action” for each day. By decorating her unit at Mayo with these posters, Barb has created a community of support for not only the patients, but also their families and staff.

Barb’s passion for care goes far beyond the Mayo Clinic’s walls. Another way that she spreads healing everyday is through gratitude. By taking a few minutes to think about what you are grateful for—the smell of coffee, fresh-cut flowers, a grandbaby’s smile—it becomes easier to remember what truly matters in life. Barb uses this technique with her patients at Mayo, as it allows people who are surrounded by illness and difficulty to stop and find a rainbow. In times of struggle, the simple concept of gratitude can be forgotten. But, Barb stands as a reminder of how the reflective power of gratitude can be healing.